O'Reiley Sega: WALKING ON AIR
by mrjop2
Summary: Barbara regains the use of her legs, and her and Helena's investigation leads them to suspect that Dinash's new boyfriend may be responsible for her miracle. Meanwhile, a new villians wants to kidnap this boy to use him to heal himself from an incurable d
1. Dinah's New Boyfriend

THE FOLLOWING STORY IS NOT MEANT TO INFRINGE ON ANY COPYRIGHT LAW SET BY WARNER BROTHERS. THIS IS MEANT FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSE AND FOR MY CONTRIBUTION IN WANTING TO SEE THE TELEVISION SERIES BROUGHT BACK. IF YOU ARE A FAN OF BIRDS OF PREY AND YOU ARE UPSET ABOUT IT'S CANCELLATION, VISIT THE WEB SITE www.birdsofpreyonline.com. THIS IS STORY 4 OF A NEW SEGA CONTINUING WHERE DEVIL EYES LEFT OFF.  
  
Birds of Prey  
The Commissioner O'Reiley Series  
  
STORIES IN THE COMMISSIONER O'REILEY SERIES:  
Episode 1: Huntress the Hunted Part 1  
Episode 2: Huntress the Hunted Part 2  
Episode 3: Nightwing  
  
  
Episode 4  
WALKING ON AIR  
  
CHAPTER 1  
  
The Bell rang, which announced the end of another school day. Barbara closed her text book. "I want all of you to reach chapters three and four for homework tonight."  
  
Moans came from more than half of the students as they clothes their books, packed up their book bags, and ran for the door. Barbara noticed that Dinah had raced out of the classroom with the other students like usual. She did not want to be seen with her in public, which she could not understand. Perhaps this was not all that bad of a sign; perhaps it showed that Dinah thought of her as a mother, especially now after her real mother was killed. There was just so much to this parenting thing, and she had never had a child of her own. She didn't know if there was something wrong in their relationship or not, and she was afraid to talk to Dinah about it and start a problem if there isn't one.  
  
* * * *  
  
Dinah ran down the main hall, dodging and weaving between other students to finally reach her locker, and there waiting for her was a boy. He was about her age, with shaved blonde hair. He was her height, since she was one of the taller girls in high school. "Hi, Dinah!" He said  
  
"Hi, Jeff!" Dinah smiled as leaned up against her locker. Jeff was a nice boy, one of the few who did not think of her as geeky. Jeff wasn't that popular in school either. The first time, she actually liked an honest boy who sincerely liked her for who she was. "So, are we on for tonight?"  
  
"yea, sure!" Jeff replied, shyly. "You want me to pick you up at your place?"  
  
"Uh, perhaps I better meet you at the pizzeria," Dinah said. She had almost forgotten that she lived in the clock tower, and Barbara would not tolerate strangers just walking into their base of operation.   
  
"Okay," Jeff was puzzled about her hesitation about him coming to her place to pick her up. Was there something weird with her parents? "What time did you want to meet?"  
  
"How about six o'clock?" Dinah suggested.  
  
"Six O'clock works. I really am looking forward to this dinner date, Dinah." Jeff said rather nervously and almost stumbling with his words.  
  
"So am I, Jeff. I have to get going. I'll see you tonight," Dinah leaned forward and kissed him on the check and immediately turned and walked away, purposely teasing him. She did not turn around to see his reaction, but she knew that the kiss excited him.   
  
* * * *  
  
Barbara was on the second level, in the kitchen getting herself a glass of milk. She rolled up to the island and with a push of the button, the cabinet door flung open. She pulled out a glass and placed the glass on the marble countertop. She had these countertops refurnished since the incident with Harley Quinn. Using the remote, Barbara moved her wheel chair towards the refrigerator; the cabinet door closing on its own.   
  
Pushing a button on the refrigerator, the refrigerator door swung open. Barbara opened her wheelchair and pushed a button on her wheelchair to lift herself higher so she could reach the gallon sized plastic bottle of milk. As soon as she was high enough to reach it, she pulled it out and put it on her lap while she lowered her wheelchair and press the button to close the door.   
  
All the work finally paid off as she reached the island and filled it up with the milk she had just retrieved. She had put the gallon of milk onto the Island when Helena came out of her room and ran over to the kitchen. She was wearing her black dress pants and a sparkling purple shirt with white sparkles and a triangle shape cut out from the chest like most of her outfits. She always liked to show some skin, even during the winter season. "Well, how do I look?"  
  
"Looking good!" Barbara replied. "However, I still question about you and Reese going out in public."  
  
"I've already told you, Reese is going to bring some take out from a restaurant and we are going to hand out in the center of New Gotham Park for a private picnic. There is going to be no one around, and that's the way we planned it."  
  
"Okay, well, it may be your night off, but I want you to have your ear piece on so I can get a hold of you if Delphi picks up a disturbance."  
  
"Do me a favor, Barbara. Unless there is a serious threat to humanity, please give us some privacy, and don't spy on us?"  
  
"Do I ever spy on you?" Barbara eyes her sarcastically.  
  
"Do I really need to answer that?" Helena grinned.  
  
"I'm going out for a couple hours, so you'll be alone for dinner tonight Barbara! Bye!" Dinah was racing toward the exit door down on the first level.  
  
"Hold it right there!" Barbara warned, controlling her wheel chair towards the railing. When she looked down she saw that Dinah was wearing a ocean blue dress that went down to her ankles. Keeping the dress up was two straps, one going over each of her bare shoulders. There was no sleeves to the dress. By far, it was the least conservative dress that either Helena or Barbara saw her where, yet it was more conservative than most of Helena's entire wardrobe.   
  
"Wow, looking good, Dinah!" Helena said.  
  
"Thanks, Helena!"  
  
"I must say, you do look beautiful," Barbara admitted. "Anyway, where are you going?"  
  
"Uh, I'm just going out with some friends from school."  
  
"Dressed like that? It's not like you to rush out of here and leave just for no reason."  
  
"I just want to get out of here awhile. I'll see you later," Dinah said rushed out of the door.  
  
Barbara sighed. She almost regretted having that wall built. She had the wall built just a few feet past the elevator entrance after they defeated Harley Quinn. She had it built to hide the lair a little better in case Harley decided to reveal their location. The door on the other side is very hard to find unless you know what you were looking for. The only indication now was that hand scanner device that she had installed. It shortened the living area, but it was necessary to protect their hideout.   
  
At times, it was a nuisance. This time in particular, when she couldn't stop Dinah from leaving without getting some answers. She nearly was able to sneak out without her knowing it. Before, she had to wait a minute or two before the elevator door opened, making it hard for anyone to sneak out.   
  
"I think someone has a boyfriend," Helena said.  
  
"How do you know?" Barbara looked up at her suspiciously. Did she know something?  
  
"Isn't it obvious? She has been more cheerful than usual the past few weeks, and that dress? She's not going out with her friends, she's going out on a date."  
  
"Is that all?" Barbara sighed with relief.  
  
"Why, what did you think it was?"  
  
"I don't know. She has not liked the idea of me being her teacher, and I was afraid that she was upset at me or something."  
  
"You really need to learn to read the signs of a young teenager," Helena laughed.  
  
"Hey, you were the first girl I ever helped raised, but you have just gone through a tragic event."  
  
"Hello?" Reese's voice called out. Reese entered through +he door looking around for Helena. He had a bag full of take out food with him.  
  
"Up here!" Helena yelled down, waving her hand.  
  
Reese looked up. "Are you ready to go"  
  
"I'm on my way down." Helena looked over at Barbara. "Catch ya' later." 


	2. Strange Encounter

CHAPTER 2  
  
Helena and Reese were surround by the trees in the park. There were trees as far as they could see. They were sitting on a large blanket looking up at the sunset. "I have been saving this for a time like this," Reese pulled out from the large bag a bottle of white wine. Along with two well wrapped wine glasses.  
  
"You've thought of everything, haven't you?" Helena smiled as she took her glass.   
  
Reese popped the cork and filled his and Helena glass half way full. Reese put the cork back in the bottle and Helena leaned back into Reese. "Here's to us."  
  
The two of them gently tapped the wine glasses together and raised up their glasses to their mouths and sipped on the wine. "Not bad," Helena replied.  
  
The two of them finished their glasses of wine. "Another glass?"   
  
"Later." Helena relaxed as she leaned back into his chest with his arms around her. "This is a very nice spot that you have picked out. Very quite and alone."  
  
"I knew you needed some time away from the clock tower, and I though this would be the perfect place for us to spend some much needed time alone."  
  
"Yes, this is really great," Helena sat up and looked into Reese's eyes. They felt an unexplainable force pulling both of them towards each of them. The force pulled them closer until their lips touched and from there, the chemistry between them took over. Helena tilted her head as she felt the palms of his hands on her back. She felt her arms wrap around him, holding him close to her, not wanting him to stop. The world seemed to have faded away, as they opened up their souls to each other.  
  
* * * *  
  
Dinah had entered the pizzeria, expecting to wait five minutes for Jeff since she had arrived early, but he was already there waiting for her. That in itself told Dinah a lot about his integrity, honesty, and the type of boy he was. He stood up the moment she entered the room. "Hi, Dinah."  
  
"Hi, Jeff." Dinah smiled sweetly.  
  
"You look very pretty," Jeff commented.  
  
"Thank you. Shall we sit down?"  
  
The two of them sat down at small round table meant for two. The sat directly straight ahead from each other. There were two menus all ready in front of their spots. It was clear that he had arrived earlier and had every ready for arrival, which she loved.   
  
"I took the liberty to buy a picture of Dr. Pepper. Do you like Dr. Pepper?"  
  
"Dr. Pepper is fine," Dinah answered joyfully.  
  
The two of them sat there, not quite sure what to say. They've only started dating for the past two weeks. They both were on the shy side so talking did not come naturally to these two.  
  
"If you don't mind me asking, Dinah, why don't you ever want me picking you up at your apartment? Are your parents against your dating or something?"   
  
It was clear to Dinah that he was nervous about asking the question but it was burning on his mind. It was a fair enough question, but one she could not tell the truth to him about. What a way to start a relationship, lying to your new boyfriend about your lifestyle! "I don't live with my natural parents. They're dead. I stay with someone who has been acting as my mother. Someday, I will have you meet her, but now is not the right time." That was brilliant, it wasn't totally a lie, it was just leaving out some important details.  
  
It was enough to satisfy his curiosity. Again there was an uncomfortable silence between the two of them. They both wanted to talk, but about what? Neither of them were very good at starting conversations, especially with someone of the opposite sex. Dinah thought it was her turn to say something, so her mind was going a mile a minute trying to think of something to cut through this awkward silence. "How about your folks?"  
  
"Their nice people, you would like them," Jeff said. "I've told them about you, and they want to meet you."  
  
"I hope everything you told them about me was good," Dinah smiled.  
  
"I told them that you are an intelligently, lovely hearted, beautiful girl."  
  
That comment melted her heart, and made her attracted to him all the more. She was lost in his handsome icy blue eyes and before either of them realizing it, they were leaning towards each other, over the table. Before long, their lips touched and Dinah felt something like electricity jolt through her entire body as they kissed. It was a feeling that Dinah enjoyed tremendously. This would be a moment that she would never forget.  
  
* * * *  
  
Another day of school had just concluded and Dinah was anxious to see Jeff once again. She had the most magical time last night with Jeff. The kiss had sparked something inside of her that she had never felt before, and it was the greatest feeling she had ever felt. Jeff made her feel complete in a strange sort of way. She was happier on all the days that she was able to spend with him. On those that they could not meet even for a split second, she would feel down for most of the day. As usual, she met up with Jeff in front of her locker. "Hi, Dinah!" she was greeted.  
  
"Hi, Jeff," She walked to him and the two of them greeted each other with a kiss. "How was your day?"  
  
"Harsh. I had a algebra exam today. Tomorrow, I have two exams, including a chemistry exam."  
  
"Ouch, that is harsh," Dinah agreed.  
  
"As much as I would love to go out with you tonight, I really need to spend the night studying for those exams."  
  
"I understand," Dinah replied.  
  
"Ah, good, there you are?" the last voice Dinah wanted to hear came up from behind her. Barbara controlled her wheel chair and to Dinah's surprise, past her and to Jeff. "Mr. Chadwick, I believe this is yours," She handed Jeff a folder.  
  
"Thanks Mrs. Gordon," Jeff said.  
  
Barbara turned her head to see Dinah looking down in embarrassment. "Hello, Dinah!"  
  
Dinah leaned down to Barbara's ear. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I was just giving one of my students his folder that he left in class. Wait a minute, am I disturbing something?"  
  
"Yes?" Dinah whispered angrily.  
  
"Dinah, you have Mrs. Gordon as a teacher?"  
  
Dinah was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She sighed, not being able to hide the truth from him any longer. "Yes, but she's more than a teacher. I live with her."  
  
"I'm sorry, Dinah. I didn't mean to embarrass you, but I'm just doing my job."  
  
Dinah did not reply. She was embarrassed beyond words. Jeff now understood why Dinah didn't tell him about her foster parent. Perhaps she was embarrassed about her being a crippled. Whatever it was, their relationship was very rocky. Perhaps there was something he could do to help. "Mrs. Gordon, I almost forgot, I am done with my extra credit report." Jeff opened up the folder that Barbara had just handed him and pulled out a neatly typed five page stapled report. "Here is is."  
  
"You are a week early? Are you sure you want to hand it in now?"  
  
"I'm sure. I've proof read it twice." He handed the report to Barbara. As soon as her hand touched the paper, the paper began to glow gold. Neither Dinah nor Barbara noticed it. Jeff let go of the paper and Barbara put it on her lap as she instantaneously felt light headed.  
  
Dinah saw Barbara's reaction. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Y-yea, just a little light headed. Nothing a Tylenol won't cure." Barbara turned her wheelchair around and made her way back towards her classroom. 


	3. The Miracle

CHAPTER 3  
  
Barbara was in the kitchen, brewing up a cup of coffee. She was just waiting in the kitchen and relaxing until the coffee was done. Alfred entered the kitchen after climbing up the spiral staircase. "Master Barbara, I would have made you coffee if that was your desire."  
  
"It's okay, Alfred. I felt like doing it on my own." Barbara said as she began to pour herself the coffee.   
  
"Very well," Alfred said. "If you will excuse me, I am going to my quarters to do some reading."  
  
"Sure, Alfred," Barbara said taking a sip of her mug of coffee. Barbara found herself drifting through her thoughts. She replayed the memories of the events earlier this after noon. Dinah did not seem to want her to meet her boyfriend; why? Helena was right, Dinah did have a boyfriend, but there was something between Dinah and herself? Was she embarrassed about her? Why the sudden change?  
  
"Hi, Barbara!" Helena said, as she came walking through the door.  
  
Barbara put the mug down on the island, and was about to turn herself around to say hi to Helena but she had accidentally put the mug only half way onto the Island and it fell onto her lap. "Ah, shit!" Barbara screamed in pain.  
  
"Barbara?" Helena ran to the platform and leaped and bounced onto the computer station. She went flying up onto the platform as if she had the power to fly. She landed onto the second level and ran to Barbara. "What happened?"  
  
"Damn it, I…" Barbara stopped in mid sentence. Her face was painted with confusion.   
  
"Barbara, are you alright?" Helena slowly approached Barbara.   
  
"I spilled coffee, and…I burned myself." Barbara looked down at herself, still with a puzzled look on her face.  
  
"Where did you spill the coffee?"  
  
Barbara looked up at Helena. "On my lap." There was a very awkward silence for a few seconds before Barbara was managed to get out what she was thinking. "The coffee spilled on my lap, and it hurt like hell."  
  
"Spilling hot coffee on you tends to do that," Helena grinned.  
  
"You don't understand, Helena. I'm supposed to be paralyzed. I am not suppose to have any feeling in my legs whatsoever?"  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
Barbara didn't reply. Instead, she looked down to her feet and concentrated harder than Helena had ever seen her. Helena looked down at her feet, not sure what Barbara was trying to do. Both women were taken back when Barbara's right toes slightly moved, causing the bones in her toes to crack. "Did you see that?"  
  
"Barbara…" Helena was beyond words. "You moved your toes."  
  
"Yes," Barbara's puzzled looking face began to show signs of joy. "I have feeling in my legs again. I'm going to be able to walk again!"  
  
"Is everything alright, Master Barbara?" Alfred came rushing out of the room, hearing her scream.  
  
"Everything is wonderful, Alfred! I spilled coffee on my legs and it hurt like hell!" Barbara said cheered.  
  
Alfred was puzzled by her cheerfulness over being burned by scalding hot coffee. "Of all the expressions that is displayed when one is burned by spilling hot coffee onto one's self, joy is not commonly one of them."  
  
"Alfred, I spilled the coffee on my legs, and felt it. I have feeling in my legs again!"  
  
"By the maker, that is indeed outstanding news!" Alfred said excitedly.  
  
"Do you think you can get up and walk?" Helena asked.  
  
"Helena, it's been years since I took my last step. I have to rehabilitate myself. It'll be close to a year before I will be able to walk perfectly normal like I once did. The rehabilitation would be a very tedious process."  
  
"You're not talking yourself out of doing this, are you? You're the toughest person I have ever known; you don't know the meaning of the word tedious." Helena asked  
  
Barbara laughed. "No, I'm talking myself out of this."  
  
"If I may ask, what had happened to you to cause this change?" Alfred asked.  
  
"Nothing that I can think of. I had a run in with Dinah's new boyfriend who happens to be in one of my earlier classes."  
  
"See, I told you she had a boyfriend," Helena smirked.  
  
"Anyway, he handed me his homework and then I got unusually lightheaded. I went back to my classroom to take some Tylenol, but I was fine by the time I got back and have been fine ever since then."  
  
"Do you think it's related to this?" Helena asked.  
  
"I don't see how," Barbara replied.  
  
"Has anything else happened to you that may explain why you have regained the feeling in my legs?"  
  
"Nothing stands out," Barbara replied.  
  
"Something like this just doesn't happened for no reason. We need somewhere to start investigating. This kid you're talking about may be a good place to start."  
  
"You mean, find out if he's meta or not?" I don't know, how would Dinah react if she seems me investigating about her boyfriend?"  
  
"First of all, take it from me, you're relationship is not on rocky ground; it's just a typical teenage phase. She's just too cool to be seen in public with someone she sees as a parent. My mother went through it with me. All mothers do."  
  
"I've never been a mother, Helena. I don't know a thing about raising a teenage girl. All I know is how to train people into superhero's."  
  
"You're doing fine. You're not trying to be her mother, just like you never tried to replace my mother, and that last thing she or I would ever want after loosing a mother. You treated us more like friends, yet in a parental way. You will make a good mother someday."  
  
"I appreciate that, Helena, but we're getting off the subject a little bit," Barbara said.   
  
"Anyway," Helena changed the course of her conversation. "We're not investigating him because he is a villain. We're only trying to explain why you have regained the use of your legs and if it's going to be permanent. I'm sure Dinah will understand that."  
  
"Perhaps," Barbara said. "We have a lot of work to do in the next couple of days. If I am going to begin rehabilitation, I will eventually need an exercise area with two guardrails to hold myself up."  
  
"I will work on that the first thing in the morning, Master Barbara," Alfred volunteered.  
  
"Thank you, Alfred. I am going to go put on a new pair of pants and some ice on my leg before I do anything else. What are you going to do, Helena?"  
  
"No plans for tonight. Reese is working overtime tonight. I might as well get ready to take a stroll through New Gotham." 


	4. Who is Jeff?

CHAPTER 4  
  
Bill Donaldson was sitting in his recliner coughing. All his strength had been zapped from him by this rare fatal virus that he had been cursed with. He could not run his smuggling business with this wretched disease. He had gotten away from his business to come to New Gotham in hope to find a cure. He knew about people who have all sorts of interesting powers called Meta-humans. Not many in the world knew of their existence. An interesting fact drew him to come here to New Gotham: the fact that one out of every four citizens in new Gotham was a Meta. New Gotham was crawling with Meta's, more than any city. Perhaps he will be lucky enough to find a Meta with healing powers here in New Gotham and then kidnap him and force him to use his powers to heal him of this disease.  
  
There was a knock at the door that disturbed his thoughts. Perhaps it was one of his men coming to check up on him. He was expecting a few of his men to arrive and help him find a meta. "The door is unlock, if you know how to use the door handle that is."  
  
He heard the door open followed by it shutting just 2 seconds later. Entering the room was the last person he had expected to see. Commissioner O'Reiley, the New Gotham police commissioner. "Well, Commissioner, what brings you to my humble abode?"  
  
Commissioner O'Reiley grinned. "This visit is of a personal nature, so you may call me by my true name; Bane."  
  
"Bane? Not the Bane, one of Batman's archrivals?: the one who broke his back?"  
  
"In the flesh," he smiled.  
  
"You should be an old man now…ack…ack,,," A coughing frenzy interrupted his sentence. "Yet you look like you're still in your prime."  
  
"A little morphing formula of mine helps me keep my youthful looks and disguises me allowing to play Gotham's commissioner until the appropriate time, but let that be our little secret."  
  
"You don't even know me. What makes you think…cough…cough…that you can trust me?"  
  
"Well, Mr. Donaldson, because I have a feeling that we are about to become very good friends."  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
"I know about the virus that is killing you, and I know that you have come here to find a meta-human who may have the power to heal you."  
  
"Okay, you're point?"  
  
Bane sat down on a chair across from him and lean back. Bill Donaldson showed no signs of fear towards him, which made him, in Bane's mind, incredibly stupid. "My point is that we can help each other. You want a Meta-human with the power to heal, and I want one special half-Meta who happens to be the daughter of Batman. Our desires are closer than you might think."  
  
"You've got my attention." Bill wheezed before falling into another coughing fit.  
  
"If you try to kidnap anyone in New Gotham, you will draw the Huntress' attention. That is when we need to work together. I will find you your meta-human if will set up a trap for the Huntress when she comes to the rescue and hand her to me."  
  
Bill thought about the offer for a moment before the expression on his face clearly gave Bane his answer. "Sounds like fun. You've got yourself a deal. So who wants the Huntress, Bane or Commissioner O'Reiley?"  
  
Bane grinned. "I want her to suffer slowly, and the best way for that to happen is to see her rot in Arkham Asylum. Call it a desire from the police commissioner."  
  
"Okay, commissioner, consider the Huntress hand wrapped and delivered. He began to laugh until it caused another coughing spell.  
  
* * * *   
  
Dinah returned back to the clock tower with a sigh. Instead of spending tonight with Jeff, she was stuck at home with nothing to do tonight. Like always, she returned to find Barbara on the platform working on one of the many computers.   
  
"I'm home," Dinah announced waiting for a reply.   
  
"You're not going out with Jeff, tonight?" Barbara asked, turning her wheelchair around to face Dinah.  
  
"No, he has two exams to study for tomorrow, and thanks for intruding on my privacy."  
  
"If you're talking about what happened at the school, I had no intention of embarrassing you at school. I didn't even know you had a boyfriend until Helena suggested it. I was only handing one of my students back his class notebook."  
  
Dinah was quiet, which usually meant that she conceded. She joined Barbara on the platform. "So, what are you doing?" Dinah stood behind Barbara and looked on the screen over her shoulder. Two words stuck out to Dinah, and they were like daggers piercing her heart: Jeff Chadwick. "What the hell are you doing?"  
  
"Dinah, it's not what you think…"  
  
"You're do research on my boyfriend! So what is it? Are you trying to invade my privacy even more or are you trying to pin a crime on him and ruin our relationship? Tell me Barbara, what it is!"  
  
"It's neither Dinah, let me explain; it's not what you think it is."  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
"Look at my fee."  
  
"What? Look at your feet?" Dinah was extremely insulted by her trying to change the subject without giving an explanation. She was coming up with a distraction without her catching on, and it was extremely insulting.  
  
"Just do it, Dinah," Barbara said with authority.  
  
Dinah snorted as she looked down at her feet. Her anger quickly turned into astonishment as she saw Barbara move her ankle. "You're…you're moving your ankle."  
  
"Yes, Dinah. Something strange happened to me, and I have full feeling in my legs and use of them, though it will take a year of rehabilitation before I can walk normally again. I will be able to walk again because something strange happened to my back. Something healed it."  
  
"And you think Jeff has something to do with it?"  
  
"It's a possibility, but not certain. Remember I felt a little light headed as soon as Jeff handed me his homework? That might be what healed my back. I need to know what happened so I know if it's going to be permanent or not. I have no intentions of exploiting or investigate him for criminal activities. He seems to be a very nice boy."  
  
Guilt began to flood into her heart for all the things she had said. "I'm sorry Barbara. He's my first boyfriend and I really like him. I don't want him to think of me as a freak or something."  
  
"It's okay, Dinah," Barbara smiled.  
  
"As for him being a meta-human, that thought never crossed my mind. Nothing unusual has ever happened when I was with him."  
  
"If he has the gift of healing, he hasn't had to use his power in front of you. Anyway, it looks like Delphi can not confirm if he his meta or not," Barbara said.  
  
"Delphi might not be able to, but I can."  
  
"Dinah, you don't have to if you don't want to. I don't want you to risk your relationship on my account."  
  
'No, I want to do it for you. You have a right to know," Dinah smiled, placing a hand on Barbara's shoulder. 


	5. Meta or Not?

CHAPTER 5  
  
It was another night at the Dark Horse. Danielle was at the bar, working hard on another busy night. The Meta's of New Gotham were out enjoying life at the meta only bar. Things began to get ruffled when Commissioner O'Reily entered the bar. Danielle moaned to herself. He was determined to find the link between her and Helena. She was not going to betray her best friend.   
  
"Commissioner O'Reily, what a big surprise. No, the Huntress has not been here recently."  
  
The Commissioner grinned. "You've got me down pat I see. No, not this time."  
  
"Then how can I help you, commissioner?"  
  
"Being a meta human yourself, I figured you may know other meta humans in New Gotham. What are the chances of a meta-human here New Gotham having the power to heal?"  
  
Danielle shrugged. "It's possible, but personally I don't know anyone with such a power."  
  
The commissioner nodded. "I need your help with something. If anyone with such a power comes into this bar, take note and call me. I fear that there is someone out there trying to find a meta-human with healing powers to kidnap. The reason is unclear, but this warning was passed on to me from a police commissioner from another city."  
  
"I will keep an eye out, but I don't have the ability to know other people's abilities just by sight. The only person who really would be able to help is the one you are trying to arrest for murder."  
  
"Perhaps she would have been able to help, if she hadn't turned into murderer." Commissioner O'Reily retaliated.  
  
"If she was really a murderer, wouldn't she try to murder again? Last time I heard the news, there have been no further murders from the Huntress."  
  
"That's because I'm not giving her the opportunity to do so," he smiled. "I am convinced that you have no ties with the Huntress, but if I were you, I would keep out of police business before you find yourself in deep water."  
  
* * * *   
  
  
  
The next day in class, Dinah and Jeff met at lunch time at their usual table. High school students always had their favorite lunch tables to sit at. If someone had taken their table, sitting anywhere else in the lunchroom would be very awkward for the whole group. There were several of reasons why students like certain tables: some liked to be closer to the lunch line, some liked to be far in the back, away from the teacher who was supervising the lunch room, and others would sit in the middle, not caring about either.   
  
Jeff and Dinah enjoyed the far back corner of the cafeteria because of the feeling of privacy. They could enjoy each others presence without the nuisance of other students bothering them. "So, are you finished with your two exams?" Dinah asked as they sat next to each other at their normal table, placing their trays onto the table.  
  
"One down, one to go," Jeff replied.   
  
"How do you think you did on your first exam?"  
  
"No problem. I know I got an A on it."  
  
"Cool," Dinah replied.  
  
"If I may be so bold, I've noticed that you and Mrs. Gordon have an uneasy relationship. Is it because of me?"  
  
"Not at all, we just had a misunderstanding: just your average parental figure/child misunderstanding," Dinah assured. "Speaking of which, last night, something wonderful happened to Mrs. Gordon last night. She was able to move her ankles for the first time since becoming crippled."  
  
"Really? That's great!" Dinah could tell that he was pretending to be surprised, but despite his great acting, she could tell he was hiding something. Her original plan was ask him straight out, but suddenly that felt like a bad idea. There was another way for her to find out.  
  
She slipped her pinky onto his tray that he was touching and she slipped into his memories. His memories were played before her in black and white. She saw the events of yesterday. She saw him handing Barbara the homework and then she noticed something she had not seen last time. The homework was glowing gold as both hands were on the homework. As soon as Jeff had let go, the glowing had stopped. It was Jeff who healed Barbara.  
  
She broke out of the vision to see Jeff smiling at her. "If you wanted to know, all you had to do was ask."  
  
"You mean, you knew I was reading your memories?" Dinah looked at him in surprise.  
  
"Yes, I did. I am a meta-human. Yes, I healed Barbara's spine. I saw that your two relationships were on rocky ground. I thought I could help by bringing some joy that the both of you could share in."  
  
"That's sweet," Dinah blushed. "How did you know I was a meta-human and what powers I had?"  
  
The night we kissed. You must have lost control of your powers, because you were showing me images."  
  
"I did?" Oh god, she thought. What did she do? Did she jeopardize the hideout? "What did you see?"  
  
"I saw Mrs. Gordon,; I saw the Huntress, I can't believe you know the huntress; and I saw someplace that looked like the clock tower."  
  
"Oh my god, what have I done," Dinah said in horror. She had betrayed Barbara and Huntress and the secret hideout! Helena did the same thing, and it virtually brought the end of New Gotham. Had she just done the same thing?  
  
"I'm sorry, Dinah, for not telling you sooner. My intentions were to prove to you that your secret is safe with me. I would never betray or hurt the girl that means the world to me."  
  
Tears strolled down the side of her face. She could not think straight. She felt guilty for allowing the secret of their identities out, but at the same time, she was sure that the secret was safe with Jeff. "I care for you so much, but I am so confused. This happened once before and it brought chaos to new Gotham. I've just made the same mistake. How can I be hero when I can't be trusted?"  
  
"Dinah, I'm so sorry, I never meant to hurt you. I should have told you sooner that you were showing me private memories." Jeff sincerely felt bad about the conflict that he seemed to put Dinah through.  
  
"It's not your fault, Jeff," The two of them held each other in their arms. "I suppose we need to sit down and talk with Barbara right away." 


	6. The Secret is Out

CHAPTER 6  
  
Barbara, Jeff, and Barbara were alone in Barbara's classroom, with the door shut tightly and locked. Dinah had brought Jeff with her, telling her that they needed to talk to her immediately. It sounded urgent, so she made the time, and after hearing what had happened, indeed this was an urgent matter. "I'm so sorry Barbara. I messed up royally."  
  
"Dinah, It's not your fault. There was no way you for you or even I to know that you can cause others to see your thoughts. This is something new. We may want to check your brainwaves, and see if there is any alteration that may explain this new talent."  
  
"I really didn't mean to cause you this much trouble," Jeff apologized.  
  
"You are not causing any trouble at all, Jeff," Barbara replied. "In fact, you have been doing exactly the opposite. I suppose I owe you a very heartfelt thank you for what you've done for me."  
  
"It was no problem. I thought you and Dinah had a rocky relationship and I wanted to help. I care for Dinah deeply. Your secrets are safe with me; I won't reveal your secret hideout or anything. I do find it kind of cool though that you are the unseen part of the Huntress and Dinah being her partner in training."  
  
Barbara laughed. "I believe you Jeff. Something has come to my attention, and I believe you are in danger, but I am not totally positive about it. If my information is to be believed, you may be in danger of being targeted for being kidnapped."  
  
"What? Why?" Dinah demanded to know.  
  
"Commissioner O'Reiley paid Danielle a visit at the Dark Horse. He revealed that some master criminal is looking for a meta-human with the ability to heal. Why, I'm not sure."  
  
"How can we trust him? He is obsessed in putting Helena in Arkham," Dinah replied.  
  
"Dinah, he thinks he saw the Huntress kill a cop in cold blood in front of him. He has no clue that it was actually a shape shifter by the name of Raven." Just the name of Raven brought chills down Dinah's spine. She was indeed the most dangerous villain that they had encountered. Not even Helena and all her special abilities could compare to her fighting skills. She nearly killed Helena twice. Helena was yet to come close to taking her down. "He appears to be an honest cop who wants to protect New Gotham. I have to take his suspicion seriously. Jeff, I want you to come to the clock tower with us and check your brainwaves as well to see if you may be a likely target."  
  
"I think that'll be cool!" Jeff said excitedly.  
  
~~~~  
  
From outside the class room, a student was leaning up against the wall with all five fingers of his right hand pressed up against the door. Doing this, he could listen to the whole conversation in that room; this was his meta-powers. As soon as he heard what he wanted, he released his fingers from the door and walked down the school hallway, while pulling out his cell phone and pressing the speed dial. After a few rings, the other line was picked up. "I think I just found our healing Meta-human!"  
  
"Excellent work, boy!" Commissioner O'Reiley's voice replied over the phone. "I had a hunch that that bar tender had connections to the Huntress and that they would be the best way of finding our meta-human."  
  
"So, are you going to arrest her?"   
  
"No, she will prove very useful as our informant and passing along false information to them when we need to. She will prove to be very valuable to the destruction of the Huntress and her friends."  
  
* * * *   
  
Back at the clock tower, the neural scan of Jeff's brain patterns was nearing completion. Dinah was looking on with Barbara to see the results of the test. Helena had entered the room in the middle of the scan, immediately noticing a new boy inside the hideout. "You know, a secret hideout gets it's name because it's suppose to be a secret, hence the name secret hideout," she said jokingly.  
  
"This couldn't be helped. It was a freak accident that he discovered our hideout and what we do."  
  
"So what are you doing to the poor boy, drain his brain of all knowledge of our existence?"  
  
"Trying to confirm his special abilities. He may be a target for a kidnapping by a new criminal lord that has come to New Gotham. Commissioner O'Reiley paid Danielle and asked her if she was familiar with any meta who has special powers of healing. I checked with Delphi and his story checks out, a crime lord named Bill Donaldson has come to New Gotham. My records say that he is in the advance stages of a rare tropical virus in which there is no cure. Doctors believe he has less than a month to live."  
  
"So, are we going to have baby sit him 24/7 until this creep dies?"  
  
"Hey, you're talking about my boyfriend here!" Dinah looked at Helena agitatedly.  
  
"I apologize," Helena quickly replied.  
  
"I don't think that will be necessary. It will be a good idea if you can put some camera's overlooking the house and the street he lives on and around all the entrances of school."  
  
"Done," Helena said, turning around and making her way towards the exit.  
  
"The scan is complete. You want to help Jeff out of there?" Barbara turned to Dinah.  
  
"Oh," Dinah ran to help Jeff out of the chair. He lifted the large clear headpiece from his head. Just last year, this was her in this chair when she had penetrated the clock tower in search for the girl who had rescued her as she first arrived in New Gotham.   
  
She helped him out of the chair and the two of them joined Barbara on the platform. "So what is the result?" Dinah asked.  
  
"Meta-human brain waves are very transparent. From the tests we take, it appears that you have the power to heal organs, blood vessels, and stuff like that. However with serious diseases, all your powers can only help strengthen the white blood cells to fight off the invading virus, not eliminate them."  
  
"Wow, that does explain why my mother never got instantly better from the flu," Jeff replied.  
  
"Did you get sick after you attempted this?" Barbara asked.  
  
"Yea, for a short while. I thought it was just a twenty-four hour bug."  
  
"No, according to my computer, when you attempt to heal someone with a virus, you help strengthen the white blood cells and your body soaks in some of the virus. I would be careful when you attempt such a thing."  
  
"Thank you very much, Mrs. Gordon, for helping me understand the full potential of my powers."  
  
"It's my pleasure. It's the least I could do after what you have done for me. There is a serious problem, however. We know about a criminal who is dying of a virus, and is planning to look for and kidnap a meta who has the exact powers that can heal him. He may think that you are the one, but in reality, it would probably kill you if they forced you to try. All three of us are going to make sure that you are safe, until the threat is over. We will be monitoring your street and the school. We are not going to let anything happen to you."  
  
"Maybe I should let my parents know."  
  
"I do not believe in hiding anything from your parents, especially something like this, but in this instance I think that would be the worst thing you can do. Your parents my not even believe you or if they do, they will hire police protection, pull you out of school, and do everything in their power to keep your safe. A crime lord like this will not be deterred and will outsmart the police. Also, we will not be able to monitor you whereabouts if they keep you hidden. The best thing for you now is for you to continue to live normally, don't tell anyone and don't go anywhere else but your school and your house. Besides all this, you and Dinah can go on doing what you want." 


	7. Kidnapped

CHAPTER 7  
  
Barbara was keeping an eye on the computer monitor where there was a window for each camera that was set up by Helena to watch over Jeff Chadwick. Alfred walked through the door with a older African-American male following behind him. Barbara noticed this visitor and immediately turned her wheelchair around. "What's going on Alfred?"  
  
"I have taken the liberty, since you may walk again one day, to hire a personal physical therapist to help you in your exercises, Master Barbara. He is the same physical therapist that helped Master Bruce walk again after he was paralyzed, so he is fully aware of your secret identities and can be trusted to keep it confidential."  
  
"Thank you Alfred," Barbara said. If truth be told, she had totally forgotten about her exercise. Alfred was right, she would need a trainer to help her walk again. Dr. Maxwell knew of Bruce's secret identity and he did very well in helping him return to his life as Batman. He had kept the secret for these many years.  
  
"It is good to see you again, Mrs. Gordon." Dr. Maxwell said with a smile.  
  
"Hello, Mark."  
  
"This is a nice place you have here," Mark commented, looking around at the hideout. Upstairs was the living quarters while the bottom level was their base of operation with technology that he could never imagine. "I will say the same thing to you as I said to Mr. Wayne. If you want to walk, you have to be serious about this. There will be no excuses for not exercising. You're exercises must be done everyday. You need to be committed to this. If you are only half hearted in doing this, then you will never walk again. Are you ready for this level of commitment?"  
  
"I am," Barbara said confidently.   
  
"Excellent. By tomorrow, I will set up the balancing poles. Until then, continue to move your ankles as much as you can as often as you can."  
  
"I have been, and I will continue to," Barbara replied. Never before was she confronted someone who spoke with such authority like herself. It was like two rams butting heads. She knew she was going to have to take some of her own medicine if she was going to walk again.   
  
* * * *   
  
Dinah and Jeff were on their way towards his house. Dinah was going to walk Jeff to his house each night to make sure that he made it home alright. Not only that, it gave her more time to be with him and more of a chance to get another kiss out of it.  
  
"So, now that you know about my life, I will understand if you are afraid and want to avoid me," Dinah said looking down to her feet.  
  
"I think you being superhero is cool, but It's not the superhero who I care for. The girl I care for more than anything is in my eyes a very attractive blonde who I met in high school named Dinah."  
  
The two of them stopped in the middle of the empty street and found themselves lost in each other's gaze. Jeff had a way of saying some of the sweetest things she has ever heard and it was causing her to fall more in love with him. She leaned into him, and tilted her head to kiss him. Her eyes shut close as she felt his arms wrap around her. She found herself loosing herself in his arms. She was ready to loose herself completely when she heard Barbara's voice over her ear piece. "Dinah, watch out!"  
  
Dinah broke off the kiss in time to see a speeding car coming up from behind Jeff. Dinah pushed Jeff onto the sidewalk and stuck out the palm of her right hand towards the incoming car. Using her powers, she formed an invisible barrier which the car crashed into and roll off into the sidewalk.  
  
Dinah turned around to see another car coming at her at ramming speed, but it was too late. The car hit her and she went crashing into the windshield, leaving a spider-web cracks in the windshield. The car came to a halt which resulted in Dinah's broken body to be thrown on to the ground. Her body rolled before she was flat on her back. Blood was drooling down from the corner of her mouth.   
  
"Dinah!" Jeff screamed in horror as he ran to her body. She felt her wrist for a pulse. It was faint but she was still barely alive. With the touch of her skin, he also got the scene of damage and he knew she was in bad shape. She had a broken rim, a fractured pelvis and skull. She would not live to make it to the hospital.  
  
"Please don't die on me, Dinah!" He closed his eyes and began to use his healing powers to heal the damaged bones. He was not done when he felt a hand grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him away. "Let me go! Dinah, help me!"  
  
Two men had grabbed hold of him and threw him in the car. The car backed up and peeled away. "Dinah, do you read me? Dinah! DINAH!" Barbara's voice came over the ear piece, but Dinah could not reply. She laid there in the middle of the street lifeless.   
  
* * * *  
  
"No!" Dinah shot up, sitting up from her bed, breathing heavily. Great pain quickly followed which brought her back down into bed.  
  
"It's okay, Dinah. You are safe and back at the clock tower, lucky to be alive." Barbara said besides her bed.  
  
Standing behind Barbara was Helena. "How are you feeling, kid?"  
  
"Horrible," Dinah replied. "What happened? Where's Jeff?"  
  
You were run over by a car. You are very lucky to be alive right now and without a single broken bone. The only explanation I could come up with is that Jeff used his powers to save your life."  
  
"Where's Jeff?" Dinah repeated.  
  
"I'm sorry Dinah, they got him. They pulled off a perfectly time and executed kidnapping."  
  
"Oh god, I failed him! I can't believe I failed him," Dinah began to cry.  
  
"Dinah, there was nothing you could have done. It was obvious that they knew that we were on to them and planned accordingly."  
  
"I need to go save him!" Dinah fought to get out of bed but both Barbara and Helena kept her down in her bed.  
  
"You need to rest, Dinah. Helena will find Jeff. You are in no condition to go out."  
  
"I have to!" Dinah resisted.  
  
"Don't force me to tie you down, Dinah. You are not going anywhere. Helena will save Jeff and bring him back safe and sound."  
  
"Take it easy, Dinah. I'll handle things, trust me," Helena smiled. 


	8. Rescue Thwarted

CHAPTER 8  
  
Helena was at the street where Dinah was ran over. She had her hand held scanner and used it to find the tire tracks left by the car that Jeff was kidnapped in. Barbara was at the clock tower, trying to narrow down and find the one set of tire prints that could belong to the car that took Jeff away  
  
On the screen, several tire tracks could be detected on the road. The tracks were outlined in green. Next, Barbara programmed on top of tracks the locations of the wheels according to the video of the abduction. She programmed into the computer path the wheels took from where they came to a halt after hitting Dinah to making a K turn to make the get-a-way. After programming this into the computer, this narrowed the tracks down to one. That set was the one they were looking for.  
  
"Okay Helena, you can stop Scanning. I have located the correct tire tracks. I am going to track them as far as I can to give you an approximately what direction they were heading.   
  
Barbara began punching in several commands into the computer before it zoomed out into a full street map of all of New Gotham. A green line indicated the located tire tracks that have been scanned into the computer. At the end was a green dot which indicated where the car had come to a complete stop. Everything black, which was most of the screen, were buildings and the gray lines were all travelable roads. With a few swift strokes on the keyboard, the green line began to travel through the gray line which was the street the attack had taken place. After a few seconds, the green line stopped, but made no turns on either of the first two intersections.  
  
Barbara reached past the keyboard at the control panel for all the video cameras that Helena had set up. This information was coming from camera number 5. She pressed the number 5 button, and controlled the camera to swing around to take a look further down the road. Barbara pressed a few buttons on the keyboard, and the green line continued past one more intersection before it made a turn. That was as far as camera number 5 went, but it that street was covered by camera number 2.  
  
She entered the complete data from camera number two to discover the tire tracks made a right turn six intersections down. That was where the school was and was covered by camera one. It was a good thing that they had planted cameras nearly on every corner from Jeff's house to the clock tower. On top of the clock tower, after all possible camera's filtered in as much information as they could, was the bird-cam, which overlooked most of New Gotham and could zoom in on most any street. That was a permanent security feature that she had installed a long time ago. With the bird-cam, the green line moved quickly through the streets before stopping. That large black box which it stopped in front of represented an entire block.  
  
"Helena, they are at one of the houses on Canal Street. They've turned a private home into their hideout. Look for the house that might stand out, since they will not want to attract too much attention."  
  
"This is going to be fun," Helena replied sarcastically.  
  
Barbara turned her wheelchair around to see Alfred approaching her. "Alfred, will you do me a favor and check up on Dinah for me and see if she has fallen asleep."  
  
"Of course, Master Barbara," Alfred said with a smile on his face.   
  
Alfred walked up the spiral stairwell at his slow, unrushed pace. He made his way into Dinah's and Helena's bedroom and he peeked inside. The light was still on, but Dinah was there in her bed, sleeping on her side. Alfred quietly reached for the light switch and flipped it, turning the light off. Alfred stood back up straight and quietly closed the door behind him. As soon as the door was shut, Dinah opened her eyes.  
  
* * * *  
  
Helena reached Canal Street and as Barbara had said, it was nothing but three level privately owned homes lined up one after another, with just a few feet of grass between each building. She was standing on the rooftop of one of the houses on the left side of the street, looking at the line up of buildings on the right. Which one of these buildings was the right one?  
  
Many of the houses had their shades drawn and their lights on: nothing out of the ordinary about all that. What was strange, however, was to see three Mercedes of the exact same color parallel parked in a row. So it was obvious they belonged to one of the two houses that they were parked in front of. The one of the right did have a shade open and she could see a family sitting in the living room watching television. That left only one house as the possible hideout. "Okay, Oracle, I know which house it is. I'm going in."  
  
"Roger that, Huntress," Barbara replied over her ear piece. "Be careful."  
  
"Aren't I always?" Helena grinned.  
  
* * * *   
  
Helena climbed into the house through the attic window on the third floor. It was pitch black in the attic so with a press of a button on her belt, her bird logo glowed, lighting the room. The attic was completely empty and very dusty as if no one had lived there for ages. This was definitely the place. She walked to the opposite end of the attic to find the door. Stealthily, Helena opened the door and went down the stairs. The door was opened a crack, lighting the steps just a tiny bit. She could see a shadow standing in front of the door. She could take care of him easily.   
  
Helena kicked the door, and the door slammed into the man's back sending him crashing into the wall and knocking him out cold. Helena turned her glowing belt off and stepped out into the hallway of the second floor of the house. A large, husky man came charging at her from across the hallway. Helena stepped to the right stuck out a foot to trip him and send him falling to his face. While he attempted to get back to his feet, Helena clobbered him across the face, knocking him out. "Nap time, big boy!"  
  
Helena turned walked to the stairs that led to the first floor. She could here the voices from the first floor. "Okay kid, you are going to use your powers to heal me from my virus."  
  
"I can't. It will probably kill me, and it might not even work!" Jeff pleaded. "Just please, let me go home."  
  
"Shut up and just do what you do to use your powers on me, or I promise you that you will never see your parents again."  
  
Helena took that as her cue and she leaped all the way down to the end of the stairs. "Mind if I join the party, gentlemen?" There in the living room was Jeff sitting on a wooden chair and standing over him was Bill Donaldson. Also standing in the room was four of his men dressed in leather jackets.  
  
"Nice of you to drop in on us, Huntress, though I can't say your surprise is a surprise. In fact, I was counting on it!"   
  
A long thick metallic net fell over Helena, taking her by surprise. "You think a net is going to stop me?" Helena laughed mockingly.  
  
"Yes," Bill said, holding a remote in his hand and pressing one of the buttons. Jolts of electricity began to shock Helena all over her body. She cried out in pain before falling onto her hands and knees. Bill Donaldson released the button and their was instant relief from the agonizing pain. "If I am not mistaken, the police are looking for you. Just sit there and watch, Huntress, because that's all you can do. The police will come and pick you up after we are long gone." 


	9. Dinah to the Rescue

CHAPTER 9  
  
Bill Donaldson returned his focus to Jeff. The Huntress was no longer a threat, and now there was no one to get in his way of being free from this deadly disease eating inside of him. "Now, you are going to use your powers and heal me, or you will die. It's your choice. You can't be the only meta-human with the power of healing in the world." Bill bluffed, knowing that there may not be another meta-human with his powers. The boy wouldn't know that, but this was desperate times, and he had less than a month to live. This boy was his only hope and he was going to force this boy to heal him at any cost.  
  
The front door was thrown open violently, startling everyone in the room. Entering the room was Dinah, who was wearing Helena's black cloak which was usually part of her costume. Bill was furious, how could there be another Huntress? From what he has heard, the Huntress didn't have any partners. "Kill her, you idiots!" Bill wheezed before falling into a coughing fit.  
  
The two furthest goons pulled out their hand guns. Dinah reached out and with her powers, ripped the guns out of their hands. The two goons closer to her came at her from both sides. The goon on her right went to punch her, but Dinah stepped back and instead the goon punched his partner, knocking him out cold. Dinah turned to the other and spin kicked him across the face, sending him crashing into the wall.  
  
That left two more goons and they cautiously approached her, obviously not having a battle plan ready. They came at her with bruit force, as Dinah had expected. Both of them swung their fists at the same time, hoping that one of them would get her, but they were not thinking third dimensionally. She ducked under both fists and implanted her fists into their chests, causing them to take back 3 steps. Dinah leaped upward and kicked one of them in the neck, sending him crashing into a wall, taking him out of the equation and leaving just one goon.   
  
Dinah used her power to throw the other man through the doorway into the kitchen where he hit the kitchen sink counter. He collapsed on the ground. Bill screamed in rage as he pulled out a switchblade and came at her. Dinah made a perfectly timed back flip so when he was close enough her foot would kick the wrist holding the knife, kicking the knife out of the hand. The knife got stuck into the roof. Dinah immediately after recovering from her back flip, jumped up and kicked Bill in the side of the face sending him flying a few feet before landing.   
  
Dinah ran to Jeff who had stood up when Bill began his attack on Dinah. "Dinah! Thank god you're alright!" Jeff said as the two of them hugged.  
  
"Thanks to you," Dinah replied.  
  
"Ahem!" Helena cleared her throat, still on her elbows and knees with the heavy net over her. "Some help here will be appreciated."  
  
"Oops, sorry," Dinah apologized, running over to Helena and pulling the net off of Helena. Helena stood up and stretched. "Are you alright, Helena?"  
  
"I'm fine. I have to say, I am quite impressed. You were fantastic here tonight."  
  
"Thanks, Helena," Dinah smiled.   
  
Behind them, the sound of a weeping caught all three of theirs attention. They turned to see Bill weeping. "All I wanted is to be cured from this disease. I meant no harm to the boy. This diseases is slowly eating away at my internal organs. I have very little time to live, and I became desperate. Please forgive me!" Bill cried, tears were pouring from his eyes.  
  
Dinah was about to curse at him but Jeff stepped forward. "All you had to do was ask for my help, and I would have helped. There was no need to go through this charade of kidnapping me."  
  
"Jeff, you wouldn't be able to help without jeopardizing your own life," Dinah said, stepping out besides him.  
  
"This disease is attacking his organs, and that I can do without danger to myself."  
  
"What are you thinking Jeff. You are not thinking about… This man kidnapped you and threatened to kill you! These goons were carrying real guns, he's playing with your mind, Jeff." Helena warned.  
  
"He's going to jail for what he's done, but there is no need for him to die," Jeff said kneeling down besides Bill. He placed a hand on the back of Donaldson hand. Bill looked up at him, surprised that he was kind enough to heal him. He could feel the healing of his body taking place and a minute later, he felt fresh and new. Jeff stood up and looked down at him.  
  
"You did it! I'm healed!" Bill said excitedly as he stood up to his feet. "You healed me, even though I kidnapped you and threatened to kill you!" Jeff did not say anything; he just watched as Bill stretched and took a deep breath for the first time without coughing. "Thank you, boy! I am indeed indebted to you!" he said. Before anyone realized what was going on, Bill pulled out another switchblade and jammed it into Jeff's stomach.  
  
"Jeff!" Dinah screamed in horror!"  
  
Bill grinned as he watched Jeff collapsed to the ground. In his hand was the bloody switchblade that he used to stab him in the stomach. Furious, Dinah leaped over Jeff's body and kicked him across the face. Bill crashed on top of the wooden chair, causing it to shatter as he laid their unconscious.  
  
Dinah sat down besides Jeff and he placed his head on her lap. Her eyes were filled with tears ready to stream down the side of her face. "Jeff?"  
  
His eyes gazed up at her. "Dinah?" He said hoarsely. "I'm so sorry, Dinah."  
  
"Please don't talk. You have to save your strength. We'll get you to a hospital," Dinah cried.  
  
Jeff coughed and wheezed. His face was already starting to become pale. Dinah knew she was seeing his life seep out of his body quickly. "Dinah, I love you. I want you to know that."  
  
"I love you too," Dinah cried.  
  
"I see that you have so much potential in you. I pray that you will discover it, and when you do, I want you to have this gift, and I hope it will help you keep you safe." Jeff reached up weakly and touched Dinah's face. She felt very strange. She didn't know what he was doing to her, but she trusted him with all her heart. Thirty seconds later, his arm dropped limply and Jeff had taken his last breath.  
  
"Jeff? Jeff?" Dinah embraced Jeff's body as she wept. A tear formed in Helena's eye as she walked up to Dinah's back and placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. 


	10. Helena's New Partner

CHAPTER 10  
  
Commissioner O'Reiley entered Arkham Asylum and the officers opened up the electrified gates for him. He entered a large gloomy room with a large octagon shaped plastic cell, which could only be opened by a remote. Inside the cell was Harley Quinn who stood up as he entered the room. She smiled as she approached the wall that was between her and him. "Well, our little Helena has proven to be a little more of a nuisance than we have anticipated, honey."  
  
Commissioner O'Reiley smiled, as he approached the plastic cell wall. "It appears that the young bird has come of age. The daughter of the Black Canary has grown up and ready to fly on her own. This is no significant set back. How are things going on in here?"  
  
Harley grinned devilishly. "I have this cute little security guard under my power doing anything I tell him to do. Our little army has begun to take form."  
  
Commissioner O'Reiley laughed. "This is great news, my love. The countdown to the destruction of New Gotham and its heroes has begun. They will not know what hit them until it's too late."  
  
"Your plan is such delightfully brilliant and evil. Soon, everyone will know and fear us, Bane and Harley Quinn, the villains who conquered New Gotham. That does have a beautiful ring to it, doesn't it?"  
  
* * * *  
  
The balancing beams were set up directly in front of the clock. Barbara in her chair was at the end as Dr. Maxwell was standing in front of her between the two poles. "Okay, you are not going to be able to do much walking, if any. Today, we are going to try to stand up. Push yourself up out of the chair with these poles and try to stand for as long as you can, putting most of the pressure onto your arms for now. Are you ready to try?"  
  
Barbara took a deep breath. She had been waiting for this moment all her life. She never imagined that her path to being able to walk again would actually have a beginning. This was that beginning that she though would never come. Now that it has come, was she ready to see it through to the end? "Let's do it." Barbara replied.   
  
She placed her hands on the polls and gathered up as much strength as she could. She pushed down on the poles as hard as she could. Her veins bulged from her neck and forehead as she put every ounce of strength she had. Slowly she raised herself out of the wheelchair. Her knees were straightening up and before she knew it, she was standing on her own two feet, without any assistance from her device. She remained standing for ten seconds before she collapsed. Dr. Maxwell was there to catch her and help her back into her chair. "That was ten seconds of standing on you own."  
  
"That wasn't very long?" Barbara replied, feeling a little down about being able to stand only a few seconds.  
  
"Hey, this is not going to be a fast process. It will take a many months before you are capable of walking perfectly on your own. Those ten seconds were longer than you have ever stood on your own before. Anyway, that's all for today. There is no sense overdoing it on your first day."  
  
* * * *  
  
Dinah was standing on the ledge outside the clock. It was starting to flurry from the gray skies the loomed over New Gotham. The weather was perfect because it was exactly how she felt.   
  
She was joined by Helena and Barbara in her wheelchair. "How are you holding up, Dinah?" Barbara asked.  
  
"I miss him a lot," Dinah said mournfully. "I wish the pain would go away."  
  
"It will, Dinah, in time, but there will always be a part of you that will mourn for him. Trust me, I know."  
  
Dinah knew that Barbara knew very well with the death of Wade. Dinah looked down at her feet. Barbara placed a hand on her shoulder. "Before he died, he touched me and I felt strange. I…I don't know what he did, but I knew he did it to remember him by."  
  
"Whatever it is, I'm sure it will reveal itself. I don't think you have to worry about that," Barbara replied. Dinah looked at her and smiled before looking out onto New Gotham once again. "Having given it some thought, I think you're ready to start going out with Helena as her partner."  
  
"Really?" Dinah's mood lightened up a little.  
  
"Of course you're ready. After your display in handling Mr. Donaldson," Helena said.  
  
"That's right. I think you've proven that you are ready for on the street training with Helena. Keep in mind, whatever Helena tells you to do, you do. She is your mentor now, so she is the authority. You two will need to work together, and not against each other. You both must be on the same page at all times."  
  
"You think you can handle that?" Helena smiled.  
  
"I can handle that," Dinah said excitedly.  
  
"I hope so, because I'm not going to be easy on you," Helena laughed. The three of them laughed as they decided to go inside and keep warm.  
  
THE END  
  
THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN EVERYONE! THERE ARE JUST 4 MORE STORIES BEFORE THE 3 PART SERIES FINALLY.   
  
NOW AVAILABLE (DUE TO THE BUG THAT PREVENTED UPLOADING DOCUMENTS, THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS ARE NOW UP)  
  
A TRAGIC ACCIDENT WILL STEAL THE HUNTRESS' SIGHT, PUTTING HER RELATIONSHIP TO THOSE CLOSE TO HER TO THE MOST STRENUOUS TEST  
  
EPISODE 5: BLIND FAITH 


End file.
